American actor Will Rogers (1879 – 1935) once jokingly commented on the ill effects of drinking wine by saying; “Wine had such ill effects on Noah’s health that it was all he could do to live 950 years. Show me a total abstainer that ever lived that long.”

Is there any truth behind his ironic statement?

We must not, however, confuse the reasons why people drink wine with the benefits of drinking wine. Alcohol, including wine, is being consumed by people for various reasons. It can be related to social, emotional, religious, physical and/or psychological factors.

Some common reasons why people drink wine, include:
Wine can be drunk as an alternative to say water, to quench one’s thirst.
Wine can be used before a meal to improve one’s appetite.
Drinking wine during a meal can enhance and complement the flavour of food.
Wine can be serve to make social gatherings more memorable, and
Wine can be enjoyed to help people unwind and produce a state of euphoria.

Let’s try and put the drinking of wine in a historical perspective. According to Satoshi Kanazawa; “human consumption of alcohol was unintentional, accidental, and haphazard until about 10,000 years ago. The intentional fermentation of fruits and grain to yield ethanol arose only recently in human history. The production of wine, which requires a large amount of grapes, could not have taken place before the advent of agriculture around 8,000 BC and the consequent agricultural surplus. Archeological evidence dates the production of wine to Mesopotamia at about 6,000 BC.”

Every year, numerous medical reports and headlines are being published about the health benefits of drinking wine in moderation. But is drinking wine really healthy? In short, the answer is yes!

Thanks to both its alcohol content and non-alcoholic plant derivatives, wine has been found to reduce both heart disease and some cancers. It can also slow down neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. As more studies are being undertaken, wine’s list of benefits is getting more surprising by the day. New findings even dictate that wine taken in moderation can help with weight loss, reduce forgetfulness, boost your immunity and help prevent bone loss.

According to health practitioners the world over, the amount of wine you drink must be taken into account. By drinking more than the medical recommendation, the health benefits are lost and the risk to your health my even rise!

Here’s what’s considered safe and effective:
Men: 300 ml or two glasses of red or white wine per day.
Women: 150 ml or one glass of red or white wine per day.
Now that that is settled, let’s look at the Big 5 Reasons the Modern Health Conscience Consumer Should Drink Wine:

Benefit 1 : Longevity
Maybe Noah’s 950 years is a bit optimistic, but the compound resveratrol, found in red wine, has been shown to increase lifespan in animal studies. A recent Finnish study has shown a 34% lower mortality rate than those that partake of both wine and spirits.

Benefit 2 : A healthy heart
Red wine has been found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease drastically, thanks to the anti-oxidants, like
procyanidin, it contains. Creina Stockley, Australian Wine Research Institute manager of health and regulatory information, says; “People that drink a moderate amount of wine regularly, particularly with food, have a 30 per cent reduced risk of heart diseases.”

Benefit 3 : Reduce the risk of various cancers
Clinical pharmacologists have found that the phenolic compounds found in wine work by preventing the initiation, progression and growth of cancer cells in the human body. Studies show that moderate wine consumption reduces Lung Cancer by 13%, Prostate Cancer by 50%, Colon Cancer by 45% and has risk-reducing effects on instances of Breast Cancer.

Benefit 4 : Feed the mind
Wine can preserve your memory and therefore drinking wine in moderation does not necessarily spell killed brain cells. Researchers, doing studies on memory retention, found that respondents who drank one glass of wine every day scored much better than those who drank less or not at all. Wine may also reduce your risk of developing certain dementias, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Benefit 5 : Helps with weight control
Research has found that people drinking wine daily and in moderation have lower body mass than those who drink on occasion only. Moderate wine drinkers have narrower waists and less abdominal fat than people who drink liquor. Alcohol may encourage your body to burn extra calories for as long as 90 minutes after you down a glass.

Now that we have a better understanding of all the health benefits of wine, lets further reward our bodies with some wholesome food!

As a perfect accompaniment to a chilled glass of white wine, and to enjoy as a light lunch, I chose this simple, yet deliciously healthy salad from the land of the “bean-eaters”.

By law, wine in South Africa is produced from fresh grapes, and yeast, that can either occur naturally on the grapes or gets introduced to the must. Depending on various other considerations like style, grape quality and the health of the wine, additional additions of acid, sulfur dioxide, wood products, and various fining materials can be added.

Not all wines are created equal! (Johan Botha 2012)

Why then are not all wines created equal?

On a cellular level all wine in its purist form is a dynamic and ever-changing bio-chemical environment. It is a living and breathing entity!

Why do some wines get embraced, praised and acknowledged with awards on a regular basis?

If we had a simple and easily executable answer to this, all wines would equally bare the embrace of medals and awards. Unfortunately there exist no magic spell, no secret scientific formulae or even an idiot’s guide to producing award winning wines!

What I do know, is that wines receiving accolades regularly are produced by a synergy of many different inputs.

Vineyard monitoring and management, grape selection, site selection, micro climate manipulation, terroir and variety selection, vinification techniques, wine making philosophy, time, passion, patience, fortune, freedom of choice and human restraint all being of equal value to produce an iconic wine. And who knows, maybe more than often, some plain luck!

For this month’s spotlight I have chosen the following multi-awarded wines:

Saronsberg Full Circle 2010
The wine has a deep, dark purple colour with prominent dark fruit, red berry and ripe cherry flavours, followed by seductive spice and violet nuances. The pallet is textured and full-bodied with plush fruit and wild scrub notes, capsuled in silky tannins ending in a long finish.

Lomond Pincushion Single-Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011
The wine has a brilliantly clear colour with green tinges. A delicate aroma of citrus, pineapple and a mix of tropical fruits on the nose is followed by an elegant palate with a fresh acidity that balances out the intense fruit flavours.

Teddy Hall Dr Jan Cats Chenin Blanc Reserve 2010
Bright gold with green tinge, tropical fruit salad nose – pineapple and some quince. On the palate the balance is impeccable with grapefruit, vanilla and baked apple flavours. Underlining the wine’s pedigree is an intense finish which lingers long after the mouthful has been swallowed.

Rijks Private Cellar Pinotage 2008
This crimson coloured wine has a unique elegant nose of red fruit and cherries, which is reminiscent of a great Pinot Noir. These attractive fruity aromas carry through onto a rich, creamy palate that is finished off with well-balanced refined tannins.

Awards:
Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2012 – The Best Pinotage
2012 ABSA Pinotage Top 10 finalist
Double Gold Michelangelo
Trophy winner at International Wine & Spirits Competition for best Pinotage in the world
Trophy at Michelangelo for best Pinotage
Trophy at Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show for best Pinotage
Rated as 1 of the Top 100 wines in SA

Awards:
Best Value Award winners for 2013
All six wines entered into the 2012 China Wine Awards won gold medals

Now that we have some excellent wines to drink, what shall we eat?
Tasty and easy to prepare, the following South African recipe is not only ideal for healthy and wholesome cooking, but also the perfect traditional South African dish to accompany our selection of bold and amazing reds:

After an exhilarating first day at the Cape Wine 2012, Professor Alain Deloire from the Department of Viticulture and Oenology at the University of Stellenbosch, kicked off a fascinating seminar on “A passion for old vines”.

The beautiful and charm of old vines. (Image courtesy of Martin Redmond)

On a academic level an old vine could be defined as an old woody structure consisting of roots, a trunk and arms. The aspect that distinguished it as an old vine however, is the fact that such a vine is “full of memory”.

On a genetic level, the old organs on such a vine, are not only able to annually give birth to new leafs and berries, but miraculously also pass on its “memory” to these new organs.

It is this “memory’ that makes old vines so precious. In a sense, old vines will after years of being cultivated in a specific site, become at home that environment. They will adapt themselves to a specific climate, soil and people. This will then be stored in their “memory”.

European producers and even consumers have been aware of this for centuries and because of this a strong relationship exists between the perceived quality of a wine and the age of the vines. Older vines are simply seen as producing better quality wine and are equally true for both red and white varieties. This quality aspect is founded on the fact that an old vine has an established root system.

The European producers are also in the habit of isolating buds containing the “memory” when and where ever old vines are discovered. This genetic material are then used to transfer the “stored” memory to new vines.

In a country where vineyards are being planted for production “runs” off between 20 and 25 years only, such an approach to old vines asked for a serious mind-shift.

Can this be to tall an order and to big a dilemma for an industry so focused on just keeping the boat afloat on an ever changing global economic ocean?

Maybe if called Surin, Blanc Fumé or even Muscat Silvaner, it would not evoke such an emotional response.

What could be better than a good Sauvignon Blanc?

But alas, Sauvignon Blanc by any other name is still Sauvignon Blanc and when the word is uttered there are either those who love it and will defend it with a passion or those who hate it!

If it was possible to personify this grape as a vocalist, Sauvignon Blanc would most certainly be Chris Chameleon.

Bold, versatile and thunderous in style, Chris hits even the highest notes with an electric, daring edge.

You can expect nothing less from Sauvignon Blanc.

Sauvignon Blanc is a snappy, zesty grape, full of aromatic personality and apart from the Muscat family; Sauvignon Blanc is the only grape variety that actually tastes like a grape in the finished wine.

From humble beginnings in France, where it was cultivated from the early 18th century and mostly blended with Semillon and Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc excelled to become a variety that is today being grown around the world, where it has an unique personality and taste in every region.

Initially only small quantities were planted in South Africa, as from 1920. By 1979 the demand for Sauvignon Blanc exploded and new plantings increased exponentially. By November 2011, 28 771 302 Sauvignon Blanc vines were planted on more than 9 644 hectares.

Although Chardonnay remains the most popular white wine, there is no stopping Sauvignon Blanc’s growing popularity worldwide and this grape represents the most likely challenger to the throne.

For many, Sauvignon Blanc also polarised the term ‘cult wine’, having nothing to do with exclusivity or intellect; to the contrary, its magnetism was based on being the consummate social lubricant acceptable and approachable in price and style to all. Surely this is a good thing, unless you’re a complete and utter wine snob.

Marc Hanes (The Hanes Wine Review, October 2005,) also mention a curious and little known fact about Sauvignon Blanc, “Sauvignon Blanc is a “parent” of Cabernet Sauvignon. The latter has been shown to be the result of a spontaneous field crossing between Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc (a grape which is used to make red wines) in the 18th century in some unknown vineyard in France’s Bordeaux region where Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc were inter-planted. So, a grape which was used to make white wines is half responsible for the existence of perhaps the world’s most famous grape used to make a red wine. The world is a mysterious and beautiful place.”

Because of its high acidity and crisp, clean taste, Sauvignon Blanc is a great wine to serve with food.

Mostly being in a light- to medium-bodied style, Sauvignon Blanc happily belongs at the beginning of a meal. Its high acidity and crisp style is a match made in heaven for many first courses such as soups, salads, and appetizers.

Sauvignon Blanc also works well with foods that are difficult to pair wine with, like green vegetables and spicy dishes. The herbaceous nature of Sauvignon Blanc pairs perfectly with fresh herbs and its natural acidity enables it to stand up to foods with higher acidity, like goat cheese, tomatoes, and yogurt. Any other wine with less acidity would simply taste flabby with these foods.

Sauvignon Blanc is a seafood wine par excellence! It is best served with shellfish and lighter fish such as sole or cod and also good with acidic Indian dishes and Thai dishes with creamy coconut sauces or even milder aromatic curries.

Tasting Sauvignon Blanc

Look at the Colour

Hold your glass up to the light. Sauvignon blanc is definitely the most well known wine that has hints of green. Sauvignon Blanc colour can vary substantially from brilliantly clear to green-yellow or even golden amber.

Nose the wine

Swirl the wine in your glass; it will release a range of aromas. Take a fast sniff for a first impression. Smell more deeply and slowly. What do you pick up?

Sauvignon Blanc is very distinctive and one of the easier cultivars to identify by its pronounced and aggressive aroma and bouquet profile.

Take a sip and let it rest in your mouth before swallowing. Consider the taste. Does the taste go away quickly or linger? Is it tart or flabby?

With naturally high acidity, Sauvignon Blanc is always tangy, tart, racy, or zesty.

Consider the palate

Take another sip of wine. Before swallowing, take in a little air. This will activate your senses further. Notice how the wine feels in your mouth. How does the touch affect your tongue and throat as you swallow?

On the future of Sauvignon Blanc, Mike Radcliffe had the following to say; “While Sauvignon Blanc has proved immensely popular with consumers, there has always been a feeling that it is a non-serious variety. You just don’t find many Sauvignons priced £15 and over, whereas for most other varieties, this sort of price ceiling doesn’t exist. For this reason, it’s exciting to see the work being done by Duncan Savage at Cape Point Vineyards. From this cool, maritime spot Duncan has for some years been making one of South Africa’s top Sauvignons. With some oak and a bit of Semillon in the blend, the Cape Point Isliedh is one of the world’s best expressions of Sauvignon, complex and precise and capable of ageing. This is the sort of wine that could see Sauvignon taken much more seriously by the fine wine community.”.

Like this:

“The best white wines—particularly Chardonnay—are barrel fermented in oak to give them added complexity; a toasty, yeasty flavor; and greater longevity. Some of these great Chardonnays will even be aged sur lie—on the “lees” or sediment of yeast that falls to the bottom of the barrels after fermentation, which gives the wine an added richness.” ( Anita L. LaRaia, 28 October 2005, http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=421051&seqNum=3 )

Barrel fermentation is the process of letting grape juice sit in a large wooden barrel (usually oak), during which time yeast turns the sugar in the grapes into alcohol and the juice is converted into wine. In other words, it is alcoholic fermentation within an oak vat (as opposed to a steel one).

The action of barrel fermentation is especially beneficial to white wines. First, since white wines lack the tannins of reds, the wine can instead draw tannins from the wood barrels. Secondly, since the fermentation process occurs while the wine is soaking up the oak flavor, the wood flavor is weakened. This leaves the light flavors of butter, spice and oak in the wine, instead of an overwhelmingly woody taste. Finally, the wood imparts a rich, almost creamy character to the wine.

Barrel aging is completely different than barrel fermentation. In barrel aging, the already-fermented wine is stored in barrels (of wood, cement or steel) and left to age. ( logabottle.com, 2012, http://www.logabottle.com/home/wineguide.php?n=Barrel+Fermentation&t=1&id=10&gc=1 )

Please click the following link to watch a short video on the Carbon Dioxide gasses escaping through a fermentation-cap on a wooden barrel:

“Ancient civilisations in the Middle East, Mediterranean and South America realised the benefits of allowing sugar-containing liquids to ferment. Early brewers declared that ‘God is good’ when referring to the ‘miraculous’ transformations that accompanied fermentation. It wasn’t until Louis Pasteur’s seminal investigations of the mid 1800s, however, that yeast was given the credit for conducting the process that had hitherto been ascribed to divine intervention.”

– Jeff Eglinton et al, 2004

Dry wine yeast from packet

This short video clip shows how wine yeast starts “blooming” or coming to live when re-hydrated. Re-hydration is the process where dried yeast are placed in a water and grape juice / must mixture at between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius. After about 10 minutes the yeast starts utilizing the sugars as a food source and the yeast population starts expanding exponentially.

This is the beginning of all wine!

Too watch this little miracle happening, please click on the following link:

I was woken up earlier today by a phone call from my very excited Mother.

She told me that there was a photograph and two articles about my academic achievements during 2011 in our provincial newspaper, “Die Burger”.

The South African Society for Oenology & Viticulture and Lallemand SA awarded me the Best Student in the B.Agric degree in Cellar Technology, at Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute, for achieving the highest marks for Eonology and Viticulture during the 3 year course. Making me as one of only three students nationally to achieve this in South Africa.

A very proud moment for my me and my Parents alike!

Best Oenology and Viticulture Students Awarded (Die Burger: Landbou 27/01/2012)

For more information on SASEV or Lallemand please click on the following links:

We move back to my own backyard for my review of the Knorhoek Chenin Blanc 2010.

Knorhoek Wines, nestled next to the Simonsberg mountains in Stellenbosch, South Africa is better known for their red wine labels. Their 2010 Chenin, however, was awarded a gold Veritas, as well as a silver in the prestigious Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show in 2011. The grapes for the 2010 was hand-picked at optimal ripeness from 35 years old bush vines.

I made a mild, but rich Malayan Curry last night and thought that this, unwooded, Chenin might just be the thing to make a match made in heaven.

In the glass the wine has a brilliantly clear, rich straw-yellow colour. On the nose one finds a flamboyant basket of tropical fruit and citrus. Pineapple and lime are dominant, with hints of Cape “Fynbos” honey.

In the mouth the wine disappointed a bit. Although fresh and crisp, the wine had a metallic and watered down palate that too quickly overwhelmed the fruit.

This wine, in my opinion, will pair much better with creamy seafood dishes as the palate is not muscular enough to compete with aromatic herbs and spices!

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

– Oprah Winfrey

Signed my contract with Durbanville Hills Wines yesterday. Although it is only a contract position as a harvest intern it is for me cause to celebrate! Three years ago at the age of 38 I set out on a journey to become a winemaker. I left everything and enrolled fulltime for a B.Agric in Cellar Technology at the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institude, South Africa. Last year I graduated Cum Laude and was awarded the Doux student in Oenology award.

Although I am celebrating, all praise should go to my wife, Chantel, and my three children (Christian, Stefan and Rosalia) for their commitment and sacrifice the last couple of years.

Johan Botha: Popping cork aka Celebration!

Took this image a long time ago in 1997, before digital and Photoshop, using only common sense and the tricks of the trade.